ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. degree — from a university
  7. drill — a practice
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. track — to keep track
  11. dip — to sink
  12. drill — army training
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. track — a path
  16. firm — a company
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. firm — decided
  22. degree — an amount
  23. track — a song
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com